Ashland County in 1979

In the Summer of 1979 I was a sixteen-year-old teenager away at horse camp with two friends.

Mohican Wilderness offered a program for us kids to enjoy the outdoors. We helped with the horses, went on daily horseback riding adventures, canoed a lot, shot rifles and at night we did the normal campfire spooky story telling. We did hear weird cat like screams the first week we were at camp. The first week I was there with my two girlfriends, Grace & Jill. They then left and I stayed on another week, only to end up with two 12 yr. old girls I didn't know, to share the Spring cabin with. I was in my glory, as I loved my precious alone time! It was during the second week of camp when I witnessed a strange conversation going on between the boy scouts master and the campground owner. This conversation took place while I was hanging around the game room area that, at that time, held a pool table.

The two men were standing inside this building, in the next room, within earshot of myself. The head master was telling the owner that the boys would not be spending another night as something scared them terribly in the night. From what I heard; apparently a large smelly animal that walked around on two legs rummaged thru the camps stuff after they all climbed into the tents for the night. And I remember him saying; he could see the shadow cast about his tent of a very large humanoid like creature. His voice was loud and insistent. I believed him!! Oh boy! I thought, Bigfoot is around here! I never interrupted these men nor did I let on that I heard them. I can't remember much about what happened next, it is a vague memory of all of us screaming and running for the nearest campsite.

I vaguely remember screaming and running and that is all I can recall. It was VERY dark outside! I do remember saying goodnight to the boy who accompanied me and I do remember the nerve-racking walk back to my cabin alone because I wanted him to think I was brave in the dark. (Which I am). As I walked alone back to my cabin, only my flashlight gave me comfort. I was feeling awfully aware that something was watching me, and figured the boy was following me to either make sure I was safe or he was up to no good and was planning to scare me! I recall the horses tearing around their pasture and snorting in fear, this also gave me a clue that maybe it wasn't just the boy following me. Arriving at the cabin, as expected the two 12 yr. Old girls were fast asleep. Estimated time was 2:30 a.m. As I settled into the bunk directly above the girls, I began praying. In fact, in this very silence did I hear someone walking steadily up to the cabin, ever so quietly. Real sneaky stealthy determined footsteps. Truly, I believed it was this boy or some other kid from the group. I heard it walk up to the wall I was laying on, sniffing. Then as I sensed it might be something else it too felt me register fear or at least recognition of IT. It was after I smelled it's odor did I believe it may be a Bigfoot. Or it was a really rotten road kill these pranksters dragged in for effect, which I highly doubt they did, as this was ripe, whatever it was. It sniffed along the wall of the cabin going down towards the pond. It entered the water and followed the wall all the way around the cabin and stopped at the door. It then followed around and stopped at the point where we slept. This Spring cabin has ditches dug along its sides for the rain to run off into the pond instead of under the door. As the pictures show, no one has weed-wacked these ditches for some time and thus hid the edge of a drop in tall weeds.

As this beast brought itself closer sniffing me thru the wall it errantly slipped in the unseen drop, thus fell forward against the cabin. The bunks shook and bowed so heavily inward that the boards were pulled away from the wall & nails exposed and definitely needing repairs. The metal roof also bowed inward with the wall and it's roof showed a faint crack from the stress. I was terrified as it was a very heavy hit! I recall it recovered and ran with bounding leaps away into the dark. The horses were still riled; I faintly remember their screams in the night. The girls awoke terrified and after being calmed down, they settled into another bunk. The campground owner certainly didn't believe it could be a Bigfoot that did the damage & yet I recall pinning him down later to ask him about the folk-lore of the alleged Beast. I clearly remember at one time he did agree that Bigfoot was in the area.

This story I attest to be true and as truly recounted as I can remember. The accompanying photos are taken truly. Note: The alleged little Bigfoot print may have been a baby with it's one foot balanced resting on the ground, OR it could be human. The Puma tracks were seen around the campground by others. Perhaps this is the same Bigfoot that was claimed to have been seen with Cougers in the same area by a resident that lived near the State park.

Sincerely,
Sonya H-Paul.